Generative AI-powered chatbots have been heavily integrated across virtually every platform that we interact with. Microsoft has been notorious at this, especially ever since its multibillion-dollar partnership with OpenAI. The company even wants to evolve Windows into an agentic OS despite backlash from users.
Late last month, Microsoft announced that Copilot is leaving WhatsApp. The tool shipped to WhatsApp in late 2024 to help users connect their AI companion in a “familiar and everyday setting”.
However, this will no longer be the case following recent changes to WhatsApp’s platform policies, which explicitly dictate the removal of LLM chatbots from the platform. As such, users will no longer be able to use Copilot directly from WhatsApp from January 15, 2026. By extension, OpenAI’s ChatGPT will also stop working on WhatsApp after the highlighted date.
While speaking to TechCrunch, a Meta spokesman indicated:
“The purpose of the WhatsApp Business API is to help businesses provide customer support and send relevant updates. Our focus is on supporting the tens of thousands of businesses who are building these experiences on WhatsApp.”
This means Meta will no longer permit third-party AI chatbots from companies like Microsoft and OpenAI to use its API as a distribution platform. Instead, Meta appears to be doubling down on its generative AI business, positioning Meta AI services and products to uniquely leverage WhatsApp’s vast user base.
Microsoft says that users can continue using Copilot across other platforms, including Windows, the web, and the mobile app for Android and iOS.
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